I recently talked a little bit about bankroll management for cash games, suggesting that sitting down with no more than 5% (or a riskier 10%) of your total bankroll is a sensible approach.

For those of you who are more interested in the Sit & Go experience protection is equally important, with any flexibility being linked to your individual situation. Thanks to variance it isn’t possible to gauge your ability to win at a specific level until you have at least 1000 Sit & Go tournaments under your belt, but most poker enthusiasts spend only a certain amount of time playing and such a sample size isn’t possible.

Multi-tabling professionals, for whom strict bankroll management is an absolute imperative, might not feel comfortable unless they have, for example, 75 buy-ins at their ideal level, whereas recreational players still need to adhere to some kind of regime but for a hobby can be a little more relaxed. With this in mind I would suggest a minimum of 20 buy-ins for your level. This would allow you to join in 32Red’s busy $5+50c Sit & Go community with a reasonably manageable bankroll of $110, giving you an excellent learning opportunity as well as a chance to make decent money. If you find the going tough (or your bankroll does) be prudent enough to drop down a level, and if your bankroll goes the ‘right’ way it shouldn’t take long until your 20 buy-in rule allows you to move up to $10+1 (where you shouldn’t find the opposition overwhelming). Note that if you multi-table or play Turbos the increased variance justifies increasing the minimum buy-ins to 30, but I would concentrate on single table standard play initially (meaning weeks rather than days) in order to get to grips with the key aspects of Sit & Go strategy.

Incidentally, if you’ve never got around to Sit & Go poker it’s well worth a try – the small number of participants already gives you a decent shot at the prize money, it doesn’t take a long time to finish, you learn a great deal and it’s a lot of fun. With 32Red’s newly vamped Sit & Go tables up and ready there’s no better time to jump in!

Now that Anonymous tables have proved – as predicted – to be quite a hit, with the vast majority of poker fans no longer having to worry about their opponents knowing so much about their game, here are a few more thoughts about what many consider to be online poker’s purist version of the game.

Heads Up

An important implication of the anonymous factor is how the terrain of 32 Red Poker’sHeads Upcash games will change. Because heads up is a more specialist discipline, inexperienced players looking to try it out might usually have been intimidated by the regulars, who like to lurk in the shadows armed with their database and other software. But heads up cash is no longer the domain of the ruthless, as Anonymous tables haveeliminated these tools and forced these players to survive solely on their own (natural) resources. Now ‘building a profile’ means finding out information and using it the old-fashioned way – by actually playing (in the dark) and learning about the opponent as they go along. Of course good players remain good players, but now the so-called ‘bum hunters’ are essentially having to do without the edge they have hitherto relied on. At least now we can all start on the same level footing that the cloak of anonymity affords us.

Skill

Note how the definition of ‘skill’ will be different with Anonymous tables. The aforementioned bum hunters would prefer to call what they do measured, deliberate game selection, and they would be right. It is indeed a skill, as are the other aspects of exploiting weaknesses and poor habits discovered through data-mining. But some players’ approach to the game has become so focused on the software that they will feel rather under-dressed on an Anonymous table, less confident in making decisions which require a certain level of analysis, and without the software that has saved them time and made the process conveniently mechanical. Observations must now be carried out ‘manually’ and over a much shorter time-span; it’s important to follow the game as closely as possible continuously.

Anonymous tables have returned poker to the realms of position (ourselves and others), pre-flop decisions, post-flop play, hand ranges, stack sizes and so on. Good players who use tracking and other software will still appreciate this part of the game, but many won’t. We are all learning and striving to improve, but thanks to Anonymous tables we are at least all taking the same route.

Many of us have seen clips on the internet of young guns playing a couple of dozen tables simultaneously, clicking away like Edward Scissorhands in what seems like a futile attempt to stem the tide of constant decision making. Of course such a feat is far from typical. Indeed when we think of multi-tabling, the number of tables that springs to mind is more like ten at the most, more often four and, just to be on the safe side, a nice, cosy low altitude two.

The point of multi-tabling, in case you hadn’t heard, is to facilitate multi-profit, to capitalise on your expertise and proven winning history (obviously) playing only one table by replicating said winnings over a few more. Simple. Easy money. You won’t even have to wait for it to grow on trees – just keep opening tables.

Alas, not surprisingly, it’s not quite as simple as that. First, it can be difficult enough having success on a single table, never mind two, three or four, while the dynamics and approach to the game change considerably as the task expands. The ability to read the opposition and analyse how hands (including those we’re not involved in) play out diminishes as the number of tables increases, thus shifting the emphasis of our concentration towards more ‘correct’ strategy (less information meaning less bluffing, for example). And speaking of concentration, if you hitherto liked to surf the web, watch television, chat away, read/write emails and so on during play, then it would be a good idea (in fact an imperative – you’ve been warned) to put a stop to these habits if you are to multi-table properly.

If this brief introduction to what might well be a challenging, fascinating and ultimately profitable world of multi-tabling is food for thought, then tune in next time for a few tips to help get you started. While it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, everyone should nevertheless give it a try.

Here are more reasons why we lose at poker. As I always say, these are all rather obvious yet we seem to break our own rules and guidelines rather easily. Let’s try to make a new start by being as sensible as possible at the tables…

Position

Position, position, position. Position. This is certainly one of the aspects of the game we know about but with which we take terrible liberties.

Good position, clearly, means late position. As one of the last players to act after the flop we see how the opposition plays first and can use this vital information accordingly when it’s our turn; ideally we want to be the dealer/button so that we are last of all to act.

It follows that the better position we have the better reads we get and, in turn, the more flexibility in terms of starting hands. Being armed with the information afforded us by having position allows us to play more hands, with more aggression, than when in early position.

DO NOT carelessly play based only on the cards, with no consideration for position. Position is everything.

Too Loose, You Lose

Yet another poker sin we all knowingly commit. Premium starting hands are thus called for a reason – they are the ones we should limit ourselves to playing, rather than finding something magical in hands like K4 suited or T7. Getting into the habit of automatically limping in with poor hands and then having to let go when the poor pre-flop hand is still awful post-flop (or – worse – stubbornly refusing to give up) will cost a lot of money in the long-run.

Limiting yourself to playing a range along the lines of, for example, pocket pairs (how small should depend on the situation), AK, AQ, AJ/T suited, KQ in late position and suited connectors, while folding everything else pre-flop, should keep you sufficiently entertained as well as considerably reduce unnecessary cumulative losses.

Odds

Poker might be gambling, but at least we are able to make decisions armed with true numbers in the form of odds. This knowledge, and using it optimally, is imperative to success in poker. If you haven’t yet acquainted yourself with both card odds and pot odds (weighing up the odds of making a hand with the potential reward) you are not doing yourself justice and are undoubtedly wasting money! Fortunately, 32Red Poker is at hand – visit this link to improve your game.

Bluffing

While bluffing seems so exciting on television, this poker art has the nasty habit of backfiring. Note also that with the arrival of Anonymous tables we will see quite a bit more bluffing, so be careful not to get carried away. One good reason to think twice before bluffing at the lower levels is that your opponents probably won’t appreciate odds enough to know when they are ‘beaten’ and will therefore not back down. Folding isn’t fun, so they prefer to stay in with a chance of winning even with mediocre hands. Bluffing in good position is obviously better than in early position because there is much more information with which to make decisions.

Remember not to bluff too much as this will be exploited by observant players.

Money Management

Simply play within the limits of your bankroll if you want to avoid disaster. Never sit down with more than 5% of your bankroll, for instance (or be even more prudent if you prefer). Start at low levels or tournament buy-ins while building up experience, otherwise by the time you’re really beginning to appreciate more about various aspects of the game you won’t be able to put your knowledge into practice!

Anonymous poker strategy will evolve over time and certain approaches might prove more successful than others – or at least it might pay to avoid doing certain things. From what I have seen thus far (including my own indulgent play) there is a tendency to try to concentrate too much on one of the perks of complete anonymity, with more loose aggressive play, bluffing and general bullying of apparently cautious players. This is clearly a profitable means of exploitation when executed properly but can lead to serious trouble when overdone. When someone is up to these tricks on a ’normal’ table with identities of players on show, or perhaps have a track record of using such tactics, then they are aware that their opponents might well be onto them and they adjust accordingly. While people should be equally conscious of their play being closely observed at an Anonymous table they will be considerably less concerned, and will also tend to target the newer arrivals. So, let’s say, for example, that you sat down at a €0.20/0.40 Anonymous table with €20 and identified such a player. Assuming there is no waiting list, you simply leave and immediately return with a bigger stack as a ‘new’ player – you’re not only ready to punish the culprit but also you are armed with potentially useful reads on all the other players, too.

Incidentally, now is a good time to say hello to fellow 32Red Poker ‘veterans’ and introduce myself to the newer devotees. Having represented 32Red in both domestic and international poker festivals it is great to be back, doing my bit supporting what has proved over the years to be a top quality online poker room. And of course I look forward to playing at the tables, too! I might occasionally turn up for punishment in the Be the Bounty tournaments and, family life allowing, I fully intend to get down to some good old-fashioned, classic poker on the Anonymous tables, where I won’t be saying hello…

32Red Poker have been active on facebook for over 3 years and during this time they have worked hard to keep their members and followers regularly updated with the latest poker news, promotions, tournaments and freerolls. They recently celebrated their 2,000th facebook follower by hosting a €200 Freeroll that attracted over 1,000 players.

Their next target is 3,000 followers, with a €300 Freeroll on the books for when they hit this mark. How quickly they reach their target will depend on how proactive and efficient each and every one of their followers will be at spreading the word and inviting their friends to join the 32Red facebook page. One thing is certain – the more followers 32Red get on facebook, the deeper they will reach inside their pockets.

It seems like only yesterday when we announced that the BadBeat Jackpot counter had been re-started at just over 15 grand. Today we announce that the BadBeat Jackpot has passed the €100,000 mark and is quickly on the rise. Our previous winner (kancik2006) hit the jackpot at 84 grand. At 0ver 100 grand, it’s anybody’s guess as to when it will hit.

Remember! To qualify for the Jackpot the losing hand must contain Four-of-a Kind, 8’s or better.

The wheel, the telephone, satellites, penicillin – all in one way or another have been recognised as great contributions to mankind’s development. Recently, online poker experienced a breakthrough of its own in the shape of Anonymous Tables, where (the clue is in the name) you simply sit down at a table where identities are not displayed (except your own, so you clearly know where you’re seated), thus simultaneously kicking into touch player notes, tracking software, previous history, familiarity and so on to strip down the game to its bare essentials. You are effectively in an online saloon in the Wild West, the ‘Man/Woman with no Name’ competing with unknown opponents where skill and psychology are the only weapons.

Fortunately for us, 32Red Poker now has Anonymous tables, and I recommend you get a taste of this pure form of poker! No more worrying about who knows this or that about your play, how often during the last few months or so you have raised or folded pre-flop, your tendency to overplay suited aces or small pairs… You still need to work on improving your game, of course, but at least by playing at an Anonymous table you can spend what time you have analysing more strategy-based aspects of the game.

The introduction of Anonymous tables is no gimmick, rather proper Poker as it was meant to be played, a major development. Occasionally, in order to create a better future we must look to the past. One attraction of online poker that contributed to its global explosion in popularity was the internet’s promise of anonymity. But this, too, was essentially virtual, as our online identity nevertheless allowed opponents to systematically (and even intensively) collect very useful data about how we play. Of course many people see the wealth of information provided by today’s tracking and other software as a challenge, striving to both analyse their own game as well as seek out the opposition’s weaknesses – a ceaseless war of (mis)information. However, now it is possible for the many players who don’t subscribe to this approach to concentrate exclusively on the game itself. As always it helps to be able to choose and, as in life, a happy medium might be interesting, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Anonymous tables become very popular indeed.

Win at the 32Red Poker cash tables and you may qualify for even more cash rewards with our Wise Guys weekly leaderboards. Yes, we reward our biggest winners at 32Red Poker and we reward them well, with over $1,000 in prizes every week!